How long will my cats smell like a salad?

Give them some time to clean themselves, maybe a few days or until the end of the week. I just hope the olive oil doesn’t affect their digestion, otherwise it could be a bit messy in the litter box (if they make it to a litter box).

@zenvelo They’ve had no adverse problems at all. :)

@Coloma You’re dead wrong, and that wasn’t very nice. It made their coats shiny and smothered the fleas to death. I actually called 2 vets before I did it and got their blessings. Before the application they were lethargic and miserable and now they’re happy wrestling little kitties! Did I mention that wasn’t very nice? I wouldn’t have done it without a lot of research first.

@DWW25921 I apologize…however…a warm bath with a little Dawn dishwashing detergent is a much better and less messy, more effective way to kill fleas.

@Coloma Dawn, got it.

I used to deflea an Olde English Bulldog with dawn. That stuff is the bomb. It will also remove that olive oil, too.

You might try some corn starch and brush it out of their coat I did this once when a rescue cat that wet and vomited on himself on the way home. It was dry by the time I had called around to find out what do. And so the cornstarch came out pretty easily. The greasiness of oil might just make it stick. Thus leaving it to ingest and clean more out of the fur.

Why on earth would anyone dsh out a personal attack on such an innocent question as this?
So early in the thread too, very odd.

Good Lord! Why on earth would you do such a thing? I’m sorry, but your treatment of these animals verges on cruelty.

Soaking an animal in olive oil eliminates their ability to thermoregulate. You also have a very high risk of causing pancreatitis, aspiration pneumonia, and life threatening diarrhea.

You need to contact your local veterinarian and talk to them about appropriate flea control in kittens this young. (There is no way that any veterinarian told you that this was an appropriate treatment.)

@ucme That’s fluther and cats for you. I asked fluther once how to clean my cat because he got sprayed by a skunk. I was then told by someone that I shouldn’t own pets because I let my cat outside. I live on a farm! cats go outside here! crazy. I’ve never known a cat owner who didn’t let their cat outside. Yep. I’m a terrible pet owner because of this.~

@jonsblond I’m not a kitty expert, but isn’t that the whole point to cats, they love the outdoor life?
Bit like a lumberjack, minus the high heels, suspendies & a bra :D

I know Schrödinger would go apeshit if I kept him inside all the time when there are lizards and dragonflies outside that need hunted.

I know people who keep their cat indoors 24/7… I’ve always let my cats go out but having recently had the sweetest little kitty go missing, I’m rethinking that. I did some figuring- of eight cats that I’ve had in the past, six of them died directly or indirectly as a result of being outside. (Indirectly being a case of FeLV.) I’m thinking the two I have now are going to stay inside. Obviously they won’t live forever, but I can protect them from cars, predators, and disease…

As to the question- I just can’t imagine slathering a cat with olive oil… the mess potential boggles my mind! I’m sure it did a good job smothering the fleas but I would also be concerned it would make the cat sick from licking it off. I know you say they’re fine now, so no harm done, I guess.

Puddy tats must be destined to live outside, why else invent the catflap :D

Oh, btw, be prepared for more fleas when any eggs in your house start hatching; you will most likely need to get rid of them again.

My cat lives inside. I’m not risking her getting run over in the road behind our house or getting into a fight with another animal. She’s a house cat – she lives in our house. If you live out in the country on a large plot of land, that’s different. In a subdivision, I’m sure my neighbors prefer my cat to be inside instead of on their doorstep begging for treats. I only know one person that lets their cat go outside, and she goes through cats quite often. “Oh, you found another one flattened in the road? Ah, c’est la vie.” Nope, not my kitty.

@ucme We call that a doggie door. I’ve never heard it called anything else.

@livelaughlove21 Well it’s known as a catflap over here, dawg’s have the door opened for them, coz they’re better see.

@ucme I don’t know, I’d much rather not have to get up and let the dog out. Seems cats are lower maintenance, which is certainly better. :)

We don’t have a doggy door/cat flap and never will. If it lets your animals out, it’ll let critters in as well. Bugs and other animals in my house? No thanks.

Tee-hee

@ucme “Why on earth would anyone dsh out a personal attack on such an innocent question as this? So early in the thread too, very odd.”

I know right? From my research I know that it’s actually a widely accepted practice because it is completely safe and keeps fleas off. All I wanted to know was how long to keep it on! Anyway, it’s another day and the kittens are happy, wrestling and exploring… flea-less… and smelling like little furry salads. LOL

@ccrow It’s a little messy but saving the kittens lives was worth the effort!

@Seek_Kolinahr I didn’t go with a bathing treatment because I wanted to repel the fleas with something safe and natural. Although I will say others have suggested Dawn as well and I’ll be using that too. Thanks for the input!

@syz Putting a non-toxic, natural product on an animal that’s safe to ingest and saves their lives is cruel in what way? You’ll have to explain that to me. Oh wait, you can’t.

@jonsblond I think some people just react instead of respond. Instead of doing a little book work themselves, if it’s not something they’re used to they’re automatically against it. The kittens are happy, healthy and comfortable, and I’m a horrible pet owner! LOL

@DWW25921

@syz is a veterinary technician that has vast experience and works with large exotic animals. She just parroted what I said, only a little more politely.
I too am a very animal savvy person with vast knowledge.
She knows of which she speaks.
Why do you think animals die in oil spills?

Oil clogs the pores, messes with thermoregulation and while Olive Oil is not toxic in the same way as crude oil, if ingested in large amounts can cause gastrointestinal issues.
Just stick to the Dawn soap next time.

@ucme That too.

@Coloma Well yeah, large quantities of anything tend to be bad. That’s really not what I’m dealing with here. They were cleaned off 2 hours later, I had to give the fleas time to suffocate. Do you think the average person would take the time to research, go out and buy something and put up with that mess? I’m an avid lover of animals and I made their lives better by solving a problem. I’m frankly a little confused that my efforts to make these animals more comfortable has gotten such negative responses. All I wanted to know was how long until the fleas hatch so I can clean the rest of the olive oil off. I looked up Dawn, which it a great product and it will suffocate them too but it won’t repel. That’s kind of what I was going for. Anyway, Dawn it is for next time.

Putting a non-toxic, natural product on an animal that’s safe to ingest and saves their lives is cruel in what way? You’ll have to explain that to me. Oh wait, you can’t.

I already did. “Soaking an animal in olive oil eliminates their ability to thermoregulate. You also have a very high risk of causing pancreatitis, aspiration pneumonia, and life threatening diarrhea.”

Live and learn, that’s all.
There are plenty of supposedly non-toxic concoctions that can be very toxic.
I once had a cat that had a toxic reaction to a supposedly “natural” citrus based flea bath. He absorbed the solution that caused severe burning sensations on his skin and he went mad, running through the house defecating and delerious.

I rushed him to the vets and after about 30 minutes of rinsing and IV treatments he was released. So much for that horrible “natural” product.

Just checked this is in social. So slightly off topic quick question. I have dog sat for a family that daily gives their dog two tablespoons of olive oil a day. (large breed)

She has a slight allergy to dog hair. She says this reduces shedding. They also brush and vacuum every day and give regular baths.

I thought the olive oil odd but never questioned it. Is it harmful?

In controlled amounts (as a dietary supplement), no. It just adds calories. They are probably using it in an attempt to add essential fatty acids to the diet to improve skin/coat health.

Thanks

The flea eggs are not on the cats. So, no need to wait to clean them off completely. If you have carpet, vac really, really thoroughly; in any case, vac everywhere, especially around the edges and under stuff, to get as many eggs as possible. Put a couple mothballs in the vacuum bag first, the naphthalene will kill the fleas; and when you empty it put the stuff in a plastic bag and tie it up right away. And wash anything they hang out on, if possible(beds etc). If you are diligent and don’t mind keeping up with this for awhile, maybe you can avoid the joy of having to use flea bombs in your house:-P

@ccrow Thanks for the wisdom! :)

Officially the best wording for a question on Fluther, ever!!!